U.S. patent application number 16/628425 was filed with the patent office on 2020-07-16 for motor vehicle and method for arranging at least one traction energy storage device in a motor vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to AUDI AG. The applicant listed for this patent is AUDI AG. Invention is credited to Norbert ENNING.
Application Number | 20200223302 16/628425 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62748984 |
Filed Date | 2020-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200223302 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ENNING; Norbert |
July 16, 2020 |
MOTOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR ARRANGING AT LEAST ONE TRACTION ENERGY
STORAGE DEVICE IN A MOTOR VEHICLE
Abstract
A motor vehicle with two front wheels and two rear wheels and
with an electric drive that is operable via a traction energy
storage device. The motor vehicle has a front recess in the region
between the front wheels for a traction energy storage device
assigned to the front recess, and has a rear recess in the region
between the front wheels and the rear wheels, arranged in an
underbody of the motor vehicle, for a traction energy storage
device assigned to the rear recess, and traction energy storage
devices are insertable or inserted into the recesses.
Inventors: |
ENNING; Norbert;
(Denkendorf, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
AUDI AG |
Ingolstadt |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
AUDI AG
Ingolstadt
DE
|
Family ID: |
62748984 |
Appl. No.: |
16/628425 |
Filed: |
June 25, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
June 25, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2018/066909 |
371 Date: |
January 3, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60L 1/02 20130101; B60L
53/12 20190201; B60L 50/66 20190201; B60L 53/80 20190201; B60L
2240/545 20130101; B60R 16/04 20130101; B60L 53/16 20190201; B60L
1/003 20130101; B60L 50/64 20190201; B60K 2001/0411 20130101; B60K
2001/0405 20130101; B60L 58/26 20190201; B60K 1/04 20130101; B60K
2001/0438 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60K 1/04 20060101
B60K001/04; B60L 50/60 20060101 B60L050/60; B60L 53/12 20060101
B60L053/12; B60L 53/16 20060101 B60L053/16; B60L 53/80 20060101
B60L053/80 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 4, 2017 |
DE |
10 2017 211 364.2 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A motor vehicle, comprising: two front wheels and two rear
wheels and with an electric drive that is operable via a traction
energy storage device, wherein the motor vehicle has a front recess
in a region between the front wheels for a traction energy storage
device assigned to the front recess, and has a rear recess in a
region between the front wheels and the rear wheels, arranged in an
underbody of the motor vehicle, for a traction energy storage
device assigned to the rear recess, wherein traction energy storage
devices are insertable or inserted into the recesses, wherein a
traction energy storage device is inserted into the front recess,
the device being embodied as an alternating energy storage device
that is removable after opening a front cover of the vehicle,
wherein in the region between the front recess and the rear recess,
the vehicle has further components that can be electrically
connected to one or more traction energy storage devices of the
vehicle, wherein the components are arranged in a transmission
tunnel and/or in the underbody of the motor vehicle.
14. The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein in the region between
the front recess and the rear recess, the motor vehicle has at
least one middle recess, arranged in an underbody of the motor
vehicle, for a traction energy storage device assigned to the
middle recess, wherein a traction energy storage device is
insertable or inserted into the middle recess.
15. The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the further components
comprise at least one charging device and/or at least one device
for contact-free energy transfer and/or at least one DC voltage
converter and/or at least one electric heater and/or at least one
air-conditioning compressor.
16. The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the electric drive of
the motor vehicle comprises at least one electric machine arranged
in the region of the rear wheels and/or at least one electric
machine arranged in the region of the front wheels.
17. The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the motor vehicle has at
least one charging socket, arranged in a region above one of the
rear wheels.
18. A method for arranging at least one traction energy storage
device in a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps:
providing an underbody, the at least one traction energy storage
device, a frame, an electric connector means, and/or coolant lines,
providing components that can be connected with the at least one
traction energy storage device, arranging the at least one traction
energy storage device and the components on a frame, connecting the
traction energy storage device with the electric connector means,
connecting the components with the at least one traction energy
storage device via the electric connector means, and arranging the
frame on the underbody.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein coolant lines are provided for
connecting with the at least one traction energy storage
device.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one charging socket is
provided for connecting with at least one component and/or with the
at least one traction energy storage device via electric connector
means.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one electric machine
is arranged on the frame and connected with the at least one
traction energy storage device via the electric connector means
and/or connected to the coolant lines.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle with two front
wheels and two rear wheels as well as an electric drive which is
operable via a traction energy storage device. Furthermore, the
invention relates to a method for arranging at least one traction
energy storage device in a motor vehicle.
[0002] In vehicles with an electric drive, the capacity of the
energy storage devices installed in the vehicle has a significant
influence on the maximum possible range of the vehicle in electric
operation, on the average engine power that may be called up for a
given range, and on the production costs of the motor vehicle. It
is therefore of interest to be able to produce different
construction variants of motor vehicles in the simplest possible
manner that are adaptable with regard to the capacity of their
energy storage device.
[0003] US 2011/0174561 A1 describes a hybrid drive system for a
truck suitable for transporting dangerous goods. The hybrid drive
system comprises two batteries arranged on the sides of the truck.
An electric motor and electronics necessary for operating the
electric motor are housed between the batteries in the middle of
the vehicle.
[0004] DE 10 2013 207 535 A1 describes a pole connecting plate for
a battery, through which two opposite poles of two battery cells
arranged next to one another may be connected. Furthermore, the
pole connecting plate comprises a sensor fastening device, in
which, for example, a temperature sensor may be received. The
battery cells connected via pole connecting plates may be arranged
in a housing to form an energy storage device.
[0005] EP 2 497 677 A2 describes an electric motor vehicle with an
energy storage device that may be charged by an external energy
source. In addition to a battery, the electric vehicle comprises
several electrical components and several relays, whose circuitry
makes it possible to reduce the load on the electronic components
during charging processes.
[0006] The objective of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle
that is adaptable in view of its energy storage capacity.
[0007] To achieve this objective, the invention provides that the
motor vehicle has a front recess in the region between the front
wheels for a traction energy storage device assigned to the front
recess, and has a rear recess in the region between the front
wheels and the rear wheels, arranged in an underbody of the motor
vehicle, for a traction energy storage device assigned to the rear
recess, wherein traction energy storage devices are insertable or
inserted into the recesses.
[0008] The advantage of the solution according to the invention is
that the number of traction energy storage devices used in the
motor vehicle may be adapted in a model-specific or
equipment-specific manner. For example, standardized traction
energy storage devices may be used in different models or equipment
variants, respectively assigned to the front recess or the rear
recess. The traction energy storage devices assigned to one of the
recesses may in particular be available with different capacities,
resulting in a modular system comprising several different traction
energy storage devices, by way of which the motor vehicle may be
adapted to a desired storage capacity. One or more traction energy
storage devices that individually or jointly have the desired
capacity may be selected from the traction energy storage.
[0009] Preferably, all traction energy storage devices of a motor
vehicle have the same nominal voltage and are connected in parallel
in order to increase the capacitance available at the nominal
voltage. Arrangements of capacitors or batteries or accumulators
may be used as traction energy storage devices.
[0010] For example, the front recess arranged between the front
wheels may be arranged above or next to the front axle of the motor
vehicle. The rear recess, arranged in the region between the front
wheels and the rear wheels or in the region between a front axle
and a rear axle of the motor vehicle, may be arranged in an
underbody of the motor vehicle, wherein the term "underbody"
describes a region of the motor vehicle located under a passenger
compartment of the motor vehicle.
[0011] A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the
motor vehicle has at least one middle recess in the region between
the front recess and the rear recess, arranged in the underbody of
the motor vehicle, for a traction energy storage device assigned to
the middle recess, wherein a traction energy storage device is
insertable or inserted into the middle recess. Providing one or
more middle recesses for inserting a traction energy storage device
assigned to each recess expands the construction set to a total of
three or more possible positions for the introduction of traction
energy storage devices. This allows creating more models or
equipment variants as well as achieving a more equal distribution
of the weight of the traction energy storage devices in the motor
vehicle.
[0012] According to the invention, the motor vehicle in the region
between the front recess and the rear recess may have further
components that may be electrically connected to one or more
traction energy storage devices of the motor vehicle. The
components may be electrically connected or interconnected in
accordance with their respective function and may be electrically
connected to one or more traction energy storage devices of the
motor vehicle. In a motor vehicle that has at least one traction
energy store inserted into a middle recess, the components may be
located, for example, above or next to the at least one traction
energy storage device.
[0013] As for the arrangement of the components, it may be
furthermore provided for them to be arranged in a transmission
tunnel and/or in the underbody of the motor vehicle. An arrangement
of components and of connector means electrically connecting the
components may be parallel or serial in the driving direction of
the vehicle in the transmission tunnel, for example, or in the
underbody.
[0014] According to the invention, the components may include at
least one charger and/or at least one device for contactless energy
transmission and/or at least one DC voltage converter and/or at
least one electric heater and/or at least one air conditioning
compressor. The charger may be used, for example, to charge the at
least one traction energy storage device of the motor vehicle via
the connection to an external power network. In addition or as an
alternative, a device for contactless energy transmission may be
provided, by means of which the traction energy store device(s) may
be charged in a contactless energy transmission process, for
example in an inductive method. The components may include a DC
voltage converter, designed, for example, to generate a low voltage
for an on-board electrical system of the motor vehicle from a high
voltage of the traction energy storage device. An electric heater
may, for example, heat the passenger compartment, and an air
conditioning compressor may cool the passenger compartment. By
means of an appropriate electrical connection or interconnection of
the respective components to the at least one traction energy
storage device, depending on the function of the components, the
energy storage device may be charged or the component may be
operated by energy stored in the traction energy storage
device.
[0015] According to the invention, the electric drive of the motor
vehicle may comprise at least one electric machine arranged in the
region of the rear wheels and/or at least one electric machine
arranged in the region of the front wheels. Only one or two
electric machines may be provided between the respective wheel
pairs; alternatively, four wheel hub motors are conceivable. The
one or more electric machines may be used to propel the vehicle in
motor operation, wherein the energy required for this is to be
taken from the traction energy storage device(s) of the motor
vehicle. When braking the motor vehicle, the one or more electric
machines may be used, for example, in generator operation to charge
the traction energy storage device. The number of traction energy
storage devices installed in the motor vehicle or the total
capacity of the traction energy storage devices installed in the
motor vehicle may, for example, be a function of a nominal power of
the electric machine or of a total nominal power of the electric
machines.
[0016] In order to connect the motor vehicle to a charging device,
the motor vehicle may be provided according to the invention with
at least one charging socket arranged in an area above one of the
rear wheels. It is also possible for the motor vehicle to have more
than one charging socket, wherein, if there are two charging
sockets, for example it is preferable for one charging socket to be
arranged above one of the two respective rear wheels. In case of
more charging sockets, they may be charged via different power
networks, for example a 230 V power network or a fast charging
system for traction energy storage devices.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a traction
energy storage device may be provided to be inserted into the front
recess, the device being embodied as an alternating energy storage
device that is removable, in particular after opening a front cover
of the vehicle. Because the traction energy storage device is
located in the front recess, it may be removed after opening a
front cover of the vehicle, such as a hood. This enables, for
example, the exchanging of an empty traction energy storage device
for a full one or the replacement of a defective traction energy
storage device.
[0018] A method for arranging at least one traction energy storage
device in a motor vehicle according to the invention comprises the
following steps: [0019] providing the underbody, the at least one
traction energy storage device, a frame, the electric connector
means, and/or the coolant lines, [0020] arranging the at least one
traction energy storage device on the frame, [0021] connecting the
traction energy storage device with the electric connector means
and/or the coolant lines, [0022] arranging the frame on the
underbody.
[0023] The at least one traction energy storage device arranged on
the frame may be prewired with the electric connector means and/or
the coolant lines, which simplifies the assembly process of a motor
vehicle according to the invention. After arranging the frame on
the underbody, the traction energy storage device may be connected,
for example, with its assigned recess, after which the frame may be
removed again. As an alternative, it is also possible for the frame
to remain in its assigned recess in the motor vehicle after the
traction energy storage device has been attached. In this way, in
particular, a plurality of traction energy storage devices can be
introduced in a plurality of recesses of the motor vehicle each
assigned to them, reducing a wiring effort of the traction energy
storage device due to the already connected electric connector
means and/or the coolant lines. The traction energy storage devices
may for example be connected with each other via the electric
connector means and/or be connected with further components of the
motor vehicle. For example, a traction energy storage device may be
connected via the coolant lines to a coolant circuit of the motor
vehicle, in order to allow cooling the traction energy storage
device in operation.
[0024] Furthermore, a method according to the invention may provide
components connectable with the at least one traction energy
storage device which may be arranged on the frame and that are
connected with the traction energy storage device via the electric
connector means. This allows for a prewiring of the at least one
traction energy storage device with the components outside the
motor vehicle, so that the already connected components and the
traction energy storage device can be arranged in the connected
state in the motor vehicle. In particular, a traction energy
storage device inserted into the rear recess and/or one or more
traction energy storage device that are inserted into a middle
recess may be arranged together with the components in the
underbody of the motor vehicle or affixed to it.
[0025] In addition thereto, at least one charging socket may be
provided according to the invention, which is connected via
electric connector means with at least one component and/or the at
least one traction energy storage device. The at least one charging
socket is already connected in the this way with the components or
the traction energy storage device outside the underbody, and then
arranged with the component and the at least one traction energy
storage device on the underbody. The charging socket itself does
not have to be affixed to the underbody to enable a subsequent
arrangement of the charging socket in a region above the rear
wheels of the motor vehicle.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the method, at least one
electric machine may be provided, which is arranged on the frame
and connected with the at least one traction energy storage device
via the electric connector means and/or connected to coolant lines.
All components of the electric drive of the motor vehicle can thus
be arranged on the frame and connected or interconnected with
electric connector means, as a result of which subsequent cabling
of the electric drive can be dispensed with. The electric machine
can additionally be connected to at least one coolant circuit of
the motor vehicle via coolant lines, as a result of which cooling
of the electric machine is made possible during the operation of
the motor vehicle.
[0027] Further advantages and details of the invention arise from
the exemplary embodiments described below and from the drawings,
which show:
[0028] FIG. 1 a schematic side view of a motor vehicle according to
the invention,
[0029] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of an underbody of a motor
vehicle according to the invention,
[0030] FIG. 3 a schematic representation of an underbody of a first
model variant of a motor vehicle according to the invention,
[0031] FIG. 4 a schematic representation of an underbody of a
second model variant of a motor vehicle according to the
invention,
[0032] FIG. 5 a schematic representation of an underbody of a third
model variant of a motor vehicle according to the invention,
[0033] FIG. 6 elements arranged on a frame in a method according to
the invention of a motor vehicle according to the invention.
[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a motor vehicle 1
according to the invention. The motor vehicle 1 comprises a front
recess 2, a middle recess 3 as well as a rear recess 4. In the
front recess 2, a traction energy storage device 5 assigned to the
front recess 2 is inserted, in the middle recess 3, a traction
energy storage device 6 assigned to the middle recess 3 is
inserted, and in the rear recess 4, a traction energy storage
device 7 assigned to the front recess 4 is inserted. The front
recess (2) is located in the region between the front wheels 8 of
the motor vehicle. The middle recess 3 as well as the rear recess 4
are arranged in an underbody 9 of the motor vehicle 1. The recesses
2, 3, 4 may be embodied for example as recesses or as frames, in
which one of the traction energy storage device 5, 6, 7 assigned to
the respective recesses 2, 3, 4 may be inserted. The recesses 2, 3,
4 may have fasteners, on which the traction energy storage devices
5, 6, 7 may be affixed, for example by bolting.
[0035] In addition thereto, the motor vehicle 1 comprises an
electric machine 10, which is arranged in the region between the
rear wheel 11 as well as the opposite rear wheel not shown. In
addition or as an alternative to the electric machine 11, the motor
vehicle 1 may also comprise an electric machine 18 (here shown as a
dotted line), which is arranged in the region between the front
wheels 8, for example below or next to the front recess 2.
Furthermore, in the region above the rear wheel 11, a charging
socket 12 is arranged, which is connected via electric connector
means 13 with the traction energy storage devices 5, 6, 7. In
addition thereto, the components 14 are also connected or
interconnected with each other as well as to the traction energy
storage devices 5, 6, 7 via the electric connector means 13. The
electric connection or interconnection via the electric connector
means 13 is shown only schematically in FIG. 1. The components 14
may for example comprise a charging device, a device for
contactless energy transmission, a DC voltage converter, an
electric heater, and/or an air condition compressor. The components
14 may be arranged in the underbody 9 of the motor vehicle or in a
transmission tunnel (not shown) of motor vehicle 1, which may be
connected in particular with the underbody 9 of the motor
vehicle.
[0036] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an underbody 9 of
a motor vehicle according to the invention. For reference purposes,
FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 only show the underbody 9 of the motor vehicle
(1), no interior or body of the motor vehicle are depicted. To
clarify the orientation of the underbody 9 and the arrangement of
the recesses 2, 3, 4, the front wheels 8 as well as the rear wheels
11 are schematically represented, respectively. The motor vehicle
(1) comprises in the region between the front wheels 8 the front
recess 2, as well as in the region between the front wheels 8 and
the rear wheels 11 the middle recess 3 as well as the rear recess
4. In the motor vehicle shown in FIG. 2, no traction energy storage
devices are inserted into the recesses 2, 3, 4.
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an underbody 9 of
a first exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle 1 according to the
invention. The traction energy storage device 5 is inserted into
the front recess (2). No traction energy storage devices are
inserted into the middle recess 3 and the rear recess 4.
[0038] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of an underbody 9 of
a second exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle 1 according to the
invention, in which additionally to the traction energy storage
device 5 inserted into the front recess 2, the traction energy
storage device 7 is inserted into the rear recess 4. The second
exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle 1 according to the
invention shown in FIG. 4 has an overall higher capacity of the
traction energy storage devices 5, 7, in comparison with the first
exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, since in addition to the
traction energy storage device 5 arranged in the front recess 2 in
the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the traction energy
storage device 7 is inserted into the rear recess 4.
[0039] FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of an underbody 9 of
a third exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle 1 according to the
invention. The traction energy storage device 5 is arranged in the
front recess 2, the traction energy storage device 6 is arranged in
the middle recess 3, and the energy storage device 15 is arranged
in the rear recess 4. The third exemplary embodiment depicted in
FIG. 5 shows a higher capacity of the traction energy devices 5, 6,
15 than the second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, since in
addition, the traction energy storage device 6 is provided in the
middle recess 3 and the traction energy storage device 15 is
inserted into the rear recess 4, which has a higher capacity than
the traction energy storage device 7 inserted into the second
exemplary embodiment. With increasing capacity of the inserted
traction energy storage devices, electric machines with higher
nominal power may be used and/or higher ranges of the motor vehicle
1 may be achieved. In all exemplary embodiments, arrangements of
capacitors or batteries or accumulators may be used as traction
energy storage devices.
[0040] FIG. 6 shows a frame 16, on which according to a method
according to the invention, the traction energy storage devices 5,
7, the electric machine 10, as well as the components 14 are
arranged and electrically connected or interconnected with each
other via the electric connector means 13. The traction energy
storage devices 5, 7 as well as the electric machine 10 continue to
be connected with coolant lines 17, via which they may be connected
after assembly in a motor vehicle 1 to one or more coolant circuits
of the motor vehicle. The arrangement on the frame 16 allows the
elements of the electric drive shown to be prewired before assembly
in the motor vehicle. Depending on the design of the underbody 9 of
the motor vehicle provided, it can be installed from the underside
or the top of the underbody. In particular, it is also possible for
a different number of components 14 to be arranged and prewired on
the frame 16 and for at least one charging socket 12 to be
connected to a component 14 and/or one of the traction energy store
devices 5, 7 and/or that in addition or as an alternative to the
electric machine 10, the electric machine 18 is arranged on the
frame 16 and prewired. Depending on the model or equipment variant
of the motor vehicle, more traction energy storage devices and/or
traction energy storage devices with larger or smaller capacities
can also be arranged and prewired on the frame 16.
* * * * *